In a recent Instagram post, T-Pain revealed that he has contributed to country music by writing numerous songs, although he chooses not to take public recognition for them due to the racism he has encountered.
The musician expressed his perspective on the universality of good music.
“Good music is good music,” he expressed. “I don’t give a f**k where it come from or what style it come in. All the people I know feel like it’s not cool to listen to other genres of music.”
T-Pain emphasized that country music has been a significant influence on his artistry, particularly in shaping his harmonies. He explained, “Country music is where I get all my harmonies. Country and gospel music, that’s where all my harmonies come from.” Despite his contributions to the genre, he admitted to withholding his name from certain country song credits due to the racism he faces afterward.
“I done wrote a lot of country songs. Stopped taking credit for it because as cool as it is to see your name in those credits and sh*t like that, the racism that comes after it is just like… I’ll just take the check. Don’t put me on that sh*t, I’ll just take the check, bro,” he candidly revealed.
T-Pain’s versatility in music is well-known, with successes in pop, hip-hop, and R&B. His recent viral performance of “I Don’t Want To Be” by Gavin DeGraw showcased his ability to cover various styles. The track is featured on his latest release, “On Top Of The Covers (Live From The Sun Rose),” where he interprets songs by artists like Sam Smith, Luther Vandross, and Montell Jordan.
As T-Pain continues to navigate through the diverse landscape of music, his decision to prioritize economic gain over public recognition sheds light on the persisting challenges of racism within the music industry, particularly in the context of country music.